Lost and Found
by MissKittyFantastico1
Summary: Riley fans beware and B/A shippers rejoice. This is a correction of Buffy's choice in 'Yoko Factor'. No way does that girl choose Riley over Angel. Riley is infected by a demon who feeds on human energy. Badness ensues.
1. In which the stage is set, and Riley sle...

Title: Lost and Found  
  
Author: Kat  
  
Distribution: Go ahead, I guess. Just ask first, please.  
  
Feedback: No feedback, no more chapters. Ok, that's a lie, cause I'd keep writing anyway, but it makes me happy. Just don't be nasty, or I'll cry.  
  
Tentative Outline: Riley fights a demon that feeds on human energy, and an electrical charge transfers that to Riley. He can only get energy from sucking it directly from other humans, not from food. The more he takes, the stronger he gets, and it goes to his head. Then he discovers the Super- Power-Bar that is Buffy, and things get interesting. Of course, he hasn't told her about the whole energy-sucking thing. Buffy has to choose between Riley and Angel, and of course she chooses Angel, cause Riley's showing his true colors now. He always was an emotional leech. Either Buffy or Angel will have to kill him; I'm not sure which gets the privilege yet.  
  
FYI: This story is true to previous events. Other than that, not only does it not stay remotely true to the story line, it is part of my ongoing 'Corrections' series; meant to remedy Joss's mistakes! Starts around the time of The Yoko Factor on Buffy, and Sanctuary on Angel, just before Buffy gets back from LA.  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. Joss created them. And then he messed with their lives and separated soul-mates and tortured them and hurt them and we hate him for what he's done to our beloved characters… Ok, done ranting. For now.  
  
Dedication: For Stephanie, who will never give up on B/A. And who deserves a great correction fic to clear up a mistake even I, non-Riley-hater that I am, thought was way out of character. Buffy SOooo would not have chosen Riley over Angel. Even if she was mad at him. And thus this fic was born.  
  
*******************************************************************  
  
Riley Finn was not in a good mood. And when he was not in a good mood, it meant bad news for any demons that got in his way. At least that was what he kept telling himself. It wasn't proving exactly true at the moment. The demon he was grappling with did not seem overly concerned with his irritability. In fact, the more annoyed and frustrated Riley got, the stronger the demon seemed to get. And Riley was a mere human; unlike Buffy, he couldn't fight all night. He was getting tired. Soon, the demon would be able to overpower him, and Riley grudgingly admitted he was probably about to die. He wondered if this was the kind of demon that ate people. What would Buffy think? Would he be devoured by the demon, leaving her no way to know what had happened to him? Or would she find his body the next day? He wasn't sure which one would be worse.  
  
The demon knocked him to the ground, and he just didn't have the strength to get up anymore. This was definitely it. He hadn't done too bad for himself, though. He'd broken one of the demon's spikes off; it was lying on the ground beside him. Which gave him an idea. His taser hadn't seemed to phase it before, but maybe internal current would be more effective. Holding the taser and the spike together with both hands, he just managed to lift his arms in time as the demon dove at him and impaled itself on its own spike as Riley fired the taser. The jolt hit Riley, too, but it seemed to hit the demon harder. At any rate, when he finally recovered enough to roll over, it wasn't moving, and the spike still imbedded in its abdomen looked a little charred. One less demon in the world. Riley went to find something to eat. That fight had really taken it out of him.  
  
(At this point, if this were on TV, you would hear a wolf howl, and the  
  
credits would start rolling. But this isn't TV, so insert brief pause here)  
  
Riley awoke to a knock on his door. Or at least, it started out as a knock. By the time he dragged himself, groaning, from his bed, and opened the door, it had become a VERY insistent pounding. When he saw that it was Buffy, he felt a brief flash of surprise that she hadn't just broken in by then, but his surprise was immediately forgotten as he took her in his arms.  
  
"Riley, you look like you crawled out of your grave to open that door; what happened?" Buffy inquired.  
  
"Ran into a little trouble on patrol last night," he replied, trying to sound macho. Her raised eyebrow brought an end to his act and he groaned and sat down. "I'm so glad you're home."  
  
"Patrolling. I knew there was a reason you kept me around," she teased.  
  
Riley grinned up at her. "Oh, I can think of a few other reasons."  
  
She smiled back. "Such as fetching you breakfast. Hungry?"  
  
Riley groaned. "Starving! I was going to eat when I got home last night, but I was lucky to even get my shoes off before I fell asleep. And I'm not much better today."  
  
Buffy smiled fondly at her boyfriend as he lay back on the bed. "That won't do. You have to be bouncy and full of energy so you can properly welcome me back. I'll get you some Strengthening Munchies of Strengthyness to Rebuild your Strength."  
  
Riley raised an eyebrow. "So, I take this stuff is supposed to aid in recovery of strength?"  
  
Buffy grimaced. "Yeah. It's some British thing Giles used to feed me as a sort of training meal. I have no idea what's in it, and I didn't ask, considering some of the stuff that seems to feature prominently in British cooking, but it really does give you an energy boost. Xander nicknamed it, based on the number of times Giles used the word strength while trying to get me to eat the stuff."  
  
Riley laughed. "Well, all right, then. Bring on the strengthyness."  
  
As Buffy left, the little energy he had managed to gather for her disappeared. He was asleep before the door closed behind her. 


	2. In which the plot thickens, and Riley ea...

Title: Lost and Found  
  
Author: Kat  
  
Distribution: Go ahead, I guess. Just ask first, please.  
  
Feedback: No feedback, no more chapters. Ok, that's a lie, cause I'd keep writing anyway, but it makes me happy. Just don't be nasty, or I'll cry.  
  
Tentative Outline: Riley fights a demon that feeds on human energy, and an electrical charge transfers that to Riley. He can only get energy from sucking it directly from other humans, not from food. The more he takes, the stronger he gets, and it goes to his head. Then he discovers the Super- Power-Bar that is Buffy, and things get interesting. Of course, he hasn't told her about the whole energy-sucking thing. Buffy has to choose between Riley and Angel, and of course she chooses Angel, cause Riley's showing his true colors now. He always was an emotional leech. Angel gets to kill him; he deserves it after what Joss has been putting him through lately.  
  
FYI: This story is true to previous events. Other than that, not only does it not stay remotely true to the story line, it is part of my ongoing 'Corrections' series; meant to remedy Joss's mistakes! Starts around the time of The Yoko Factor on Buffy, and Sanctuary on Angel, just before Buffy gets back from LA.  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. Joss created them. And then he messed with their lives and separated soul-mates and tortured them and hurt them and we hate him for what he's done to our beloved characters… Ok, done ranting. For now.  
  
Dedication: For Stephanie, who will never give up on B/A. And who deserves a great correction fic to clear up a mistake even I, non-Riley-hater that I am, thought was way out of character. Buffy Soooo would not have chosen Riley over Angel. Even if she was mad at him. And thus this fic was born.  
  
Author's note: Oops, I forgot to take into consideration that Riley no longer has a room and is now hiding from the Initiative. So, one small tweak of the previous storyline- Riley is now living in a cheep hotel, instead of camping out in the ruins of the high school.  
  
Author's other note: I apologize for the 'I love you' line; I know I said this story was B/A friendly. I tried to leave it out, but the story didn't like that. It actually threatened mutiny, and we all know a mutinying story does not lead to hugs and puppies. *G* It will get shippy soon, I promise.  
  
*******************************************************************  
  
It was dark when Riley woke up. He rolled over weakly and groaned. He felt even more tired than when he went to sleep. What was wrong with him? Buffy had been there. He saw the note she'd left for him on his pillow.  
  
'Hey, sleepyhead! No more patrolling for you for a while. You must really have gotten hit hard if you're this tired. I left your Munchies of Strengthyness in the 'fridge. Call me when you wake up. I love you. –Buffy'  
  
Riley smiled fondly at the note. "I love you too," he whispered. He reached for the phone, but thought better of it as his stomach growled. Food first. He opened the 'fridge and was gratified to find a VERY large container of… He assumed this must be the infamous Munchies. Riley made a face. He could see where Buffy's lack of curiosity as to its ingredients came from. The stuff looked like… well, it didn't look like food. Oh, well, if Buffy could stomach it, so could he.  
  
  
  
In what seemed like seconds, he was looking at the bottom of the empty container. And he was still hungry. How could he still be hungry? No human could possibly consume the amount of food he'd just eaten and still be hungry, he was sure. Probably not many humans could consume the amount of food he'd just eaten, period. At least now with something in his stomach, it would stop growling enough to let him call Buffy and ask her to bring him some more. The phone rang twice before a cheerful voice answered. "Hello?"  
  
Riley's face fell. "Willow. Is Buffy there?"  
  
Willow sighed. "No. Patrolling. But she's not here much regardless. She was kinda mopey when she got in this morning, though. You guys didn't have a fight, did you?"  
  
Riley frowned. "No, I hardly saw her. She went to get me breakfast, and I fell asleep. I haven't seen her since. I actually just woke up; she said to call when I did."  
  
"Rough night on patrol duty, huh? I remember when I used to patrol for her when she was, uh, not here. It could get pretty rough. And I had help; Oz and Xander came too. Although we weren't as good at it as you are, cause of the military training and all. This one time, a vampire was getting away and so Oz threw a stake at him, just like they do with a knife in the movies, to stop a guy from getting away, and it was really cool and dramatic, but it didn't even come close to hitting him. You would probably actually be able to hit him. But Oz… was the reason you lost your job and have to live in hiding in a slum-pit now, so you probably don't want to hear about him, huh?" Willow trailed off.  
  
Riley just smiled at his girlfriend's best friend's ramblings. "Tell you what. Bring me over some more food, and all will be forgiven."  
  
"Oh, ok. Just let me finish this paper; I'll be over in, like, half an hour?"  
  
"Fine. See you then. Thanks, Wil." Riley hung up the phone. Half an hour. What could he do until then? He wanted to make sure he didn't fall asleep again.  
  
  
  
*BOOM!* Riley jumped about a foot. No danger of falling asleep now, he was wide awake. The people in the next room were shouting at each other and, from the sound of it, throwing things. He wondered how he could have missed it. He must have drifted off again in spite of his best intentions. He looked at the clock. Willow should be there soon. Funny, he wasn't as hungry as he had been, although he still wouldn't say no to a meal. Maybe those Munchies of Strengthyness took time to kick in. And all that sleep seemed to be doing him some good; he didn't feel nearly as weak and battered as he had that morning, either. He was actually starting to feel like himself again.  
  
  
  
By the time Willow arrived, Riley was feeling much better. The fighting next door, which usually would have given him a headache, didn't seem to bother him at all. He was, in fact, feeling stronger by the moment. When Willow handed him a bag full to overflowing with cartons of Chinese take-out, he just looked at her stupidly. He hardly felt like eating anymore.  
  
"I figured if you finished the enormous amount of food Buffy said she left for you, it might be a good idea to bring, you know, plenty. So you could have some for later?" Willow looked uncertain.  
  
"Oh, yeah, thanks." Riley vaguely remembered begging her to bring food. He wondered why. He certainly wasn't hungry now.  
  
  
  
Buffy grunted as she missed a block and the demon landed a punch in her gut. This thing was way strong. And every time it hit her, it seemed to get stronger. She thought briefly of the monster Jonathan had created with his augmentation spell. Every time she hit it, he got weaker. She made a mental note to find Giles after patrol and ask him if there were spells to let demons do something similar, but in reverse. Or demons who just did it on their own, although she'd never heard of that happening before. But first, she'd have to survive this fight. The thing was strong!  
  
***Fight scene, to be inserted later. They're pretty evenly matched, and Buffy's quite a bit the worse for the wear by the time it's over. Buffy kills the demon, makes a quip, cause that's what she does, blah, blah, blah, etc. Sorry about this, I know it interrupts the flow of the narrative, but the fight isn't necessary to the plot at all, other than Buffy getting pretty beat up, and I wanted to get on with the story. And now back to your regularly scheduled program.***  
  
Dead or not, that demon had worn her out. Patrol had been uneventful except for that one, and she was desperately in need of a shower. And there was a rip in her shirt (which she quickly crossed her arms over, self- consciously). That last decided her. It was definitely time to head home.  
  
  
  
Buffy resisted the urge to kick the wall. Slayer strength made new challenges of venting irritation; she'd had one adventure already explaining to the RA how the door had fallen off its hinges. And broken in half. "Hey, they're cheep dorm doors. Sometimes when you slam them, they shatter." Buffy grimaced at that memory, as well as the current annoyance. As if the day hadn't been stressful enough, she couldn't find her bathrobe. Not incredibly surprising, given the state of the room, but still frustrating. She was about ready to forget the idea of a robe and just go as she was, come back wrapped in her towel, and toss her ruined clothes in the trash on the way by, when there was a knock on the door. "Wil, did you forget your keys aga…" Buffy's voice trailed off as she opened the door. "Angel?" 


	3. In which we ignore Riley completely and ...

Title: Lost and Found  
  
Author: Kat  
  
Distribution: Go ahead, I guess. Just ask first, please.  
  
Feedback: Ok, here's the deal. The less feedback I get, the more depressed I am, and the less inspired I feel to write new chapters. Consequently, the time it takes for me to post a new chapter is directly proportional to the number of reviews I get for the last chapter. Translation: Review. Get your friends to review. Send this story to random strangers and have them review. 'Cause the more reviews I get, the quicker you get to find out what happens next.  
  
Summary: Riley fights a demon that feeds on human energy, and an electrical charge transfers that to Riley. He can only get energy from sucking it directly from other humans, not from food. The more he takes, the stronger he gets, and it goes to his head. Then he discovers the Super-Power-Bar that is Buffy, and things get interesting. Of course, he hasn't told her about the whole energy-sucking thing. Buffy has to choose between Riley and Angel, and of course she chooses Angel, cause Riley's showing his true colors now. He always was an emotional leech. Angel gets to kill him; I decided he deserves the privilege right now.  
  
FYI: This story is true to previous events. Other than that, not only does it not stay remotely true to the story line, it is part of my ongoing 'Corrections' series; meant to remedy Joss's mistakes! Starts around the time of The Yoko Factor on Buffy, and Sanctuary on Angel, just before Buffy gets back from LA.  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. Joss created them. And then he messed with their lives and separated soul-mates and tortured them and hurt them and we hate him for what he's done to our beloved characters… Ok, done ranting. For now.  
  
Dedication: For Stephanie, who will never give up on B/A. And who deserves a great correction fic to clear up a mistake even I, non-Riley-hater that I am, thought was way out of character. Buffy Soooo would not have chosen Riley over Angel. Even if she was mad at him. And thus this fic was born.  
  
*******************************************************************  
  
Angel gaped at the woman who opened the door. Was this Buffy? She looked exhausted, she was muddy, with twigs and leaves tangled in her hair, she had a cut on her cheek and one on her neck, and a black eye starting, and her shirt was torn… He hastily tore his eyes away from THAT problem. "Buffy." He mentally kicked himself for not being more articulate. But his protective instincts were aroused, and he was torn between wanting to take her in his arms and soothe her hurt away, and knowing that that was no longer his responsibility or his right. He had given it up when he walked away from her last spring, and had just driven that point home with his treatment of her in LA. In fact, he dimly recalled he had come to apologize for that, but the sight of her had driven it completely out of his head. What on earth had done this to her? It had been a long time since he'd seen her so beat up, if ever. He reached out to her instinctively, only to come up against the invisible barrier that bared all vampires from this room who had not been previously invited.  
  
  
  
Buffy's first reaction to his presence had been relief, and she hated that weakness in herself. After all this time, all this hurt, even after she had found someone to replace him, he was still the one she wanted to turn to, to lean on. But that reaction was swiftly overrun by another, healthier one; annoyance. "What are you doing here? Did you think of anything else really hurtful to say? Decided to come here and say it in person, since the best part is that look on my face…" She was stopped by the tenderness and resignation in Angel's eyes.  
  
"No, actually, I wanted to apologize."  
  
Buffy wrapped her anger around her like a cloak. She would not let him in, not let him comfort her, not let him apologize. She had to stay angry with him, to keep herself from falling into his arms. And there was plenty of anger there for her to work with. "Apologize? I come to see you, to help you, because I thought you were in trouble, and you threaten me, HIT me, order me out of *your* city, and then you have the nerve to show up on my doorstep and think you can make it all go away just by *apologizing*?"  
  
'Remember Riley?' she thought furiously to herself. 'You know, the guy you've been dating for a while now? The guy who lost his job for you, became a fugitive for you, nearly got himself killed on patrol last night for you? The guy you tell yourself you love? Yeah, that guy. The guy whose arms you *should* find comfort in. Not the guy who's standing outside your door, waiting for you to ask him in because what he is prevents him from coming in uninvited. The nice, normal guy you found to replace the one standing outside your door.' Keep her mind firmly fixed on Riley, and maybe thoughts of Angel could be confined to anger or distant, vague memories. But even that anger, the one thing she could safely feel, seemed to be slipping away.  
  
  
  
Angel's heart ached at seeing her like this, and not being able to help her, not even able to touch her. And he mentally kicked himself for how much he wanted to do that right now. 'She's not yours anymore!' his mind railed at him. 'And why is she not yours, again? Because you left her, you moron, you walked out of her life, to leave her free to find a better one. And now here you are on her doorstep, interrupting that life, barging in again, because YOU can't bear to be away. Admit it, you fool; you can't stay away from her. You need her more than she needs you. Mighty creature of the night, ha! You're a moony-eyed child in love when it comes to this girl. She's your weakness.'  
  
Angel came to a decision then, and told his mind fiercely to shut up. He didn't give a damn about any of that, though he knew it was true. He just wanted to erase the pain from her eyes. He had to find a way to make it all up to her. He just had to. "Buffy, please, I know I can't make it right by just saying I'm sorry, but it's the only place I could think of to start. How I was in LA… I was just being selfish. I was hurting you to drive you away, so I wouldn't be tempted, so I wouldn't have to remind myself every second that nothing had changed, all my reasons for leaving you still stood. So I wouldn't hurt worse, knowing you were there and that I couldn't touch you." Angel stared at the floor, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. What was he doing? He was shocked at himself, opening his heart this way, telling her the whole truth, but he couldn't seem to stop the flow of words, once he had started. "So I wouldn't just fall down at your feet and beg you to forgive me and take me back." He was finally able to look at her then. "Buffy, I'm not begging you to take me back; you've moved on, like I wanted you to. But I am asking you to forgive me. What I said, what I did- I couldn't stand to see you hurt like that. I had to come and try to make it right."  
  
  
  
Buffy leaned on the half-open door to keep from collapsing under the torrent of Angel's apologies. She wasn't sure what she'd expected him to say, but that definitely wasn't it. He stood silently in the hall when he'd finished speaking, waiting for her reaction. He stared blankly at her when she swung the door wide. "Come in, Angel."  
  
  
  
  
  
He stood staring for a moment; had she really just invited him in? Why? Not that he was objecting, but…"Buffy, are you sure? I mean, not that I'm not grateful, but you know you don't have to. I only came to apologize, and you look tired, I could just go…" His words were interrupted as her knees buckled and she started to fall. He leapt forward instantly, catching her and cradling her battered and exhausted body against his own. She smiled wanly up at him, and made no move to pull away or re-gain her feet, letting him carry her to her bed. He growled before he caught himself, thinking of what had done this to her, set her down gently, and went to find bandages and a clean cloth.  
  
  
  
Buffy drifted in semi-consciousness. She was dimly aware of being carried to the bed, and set down, and having her hurts tended. She felt drained, and not just physically. Everything that made her who she was seemed to have been sucked out of her, leaving her feeling empty, exhausted, and confused. But Angel was there, and she dimly wondered how he could be, as she wandered in and out of dreams. She decided she must be hallucinating, but no matter how she tried to clear her mind, all she could see or feel was him. Angel catching her as she fell. Angel tenderly cleaning her wounds. Angel gently touching her hair as he sat by her side through the night. She knew he wouldn't be there when she woke, so there was no harm in this sweet delusion. No need to worry about the hurt that stood between them. No need to stay away for fear of giving in to love. For now, she was content to drift, safe in the knowledge that he guarded her from harm.  
  
  
  
Angel worried as he watched her sleep. She shouldn't have just collapsed like that. Either she'd been driving herself far harder than even she could take, or something more was wrong with her than the physical hurts he had tended. And he was inclined the think the latter. She pushed herself hard, but she knew her limits, and he thought she had more sense than to drive herself to the point of collapse. He gently touched the bandage on her neck, just above the small round scar that was his mark on her. His mark. The bite mark that in his culture marked her as his own. His mate. No, he wouldn't think about that. Down that road lay way too many painful memories and what-ifs. No matter how much he loved her, she could never be his. It wasn't meant to be. No matter how much the mark beneath his hand might seem to proclaim otherwise. She wasn't his. She never could be. That scar was a lie. But he leaned down and kissed it anyways, before he could stop himself. 


	4. In which Tara's special abilities are ne...

Title: Lost and Found  
  
Author: Kat  
  
Distribution: Go ahead, I guess. Just ask first, please.  
  
Feedback: I mean it, people. I'm not gonna stop writing this story, 'cause I'm a Writer, of the capital 'W' variety, and we don't like to leave stories unfinished when there is still more to write. But I will stop posting the chapters I write, if I don't get reviews. Come on, you can't just give me enough to get addicted to them and then cut off the supply. That's cruel! Review! Please? Pretty please?  
  
Summary: Ok, I think you all know the general Summary of the story by now, so I'm gonna start just summarizing chapters, k? Angel watches over Buffy and remembers a day that never happened. Riley's fed on energy for the first time, now. And Tara starts to figure out what's going on.  
  
FYI: This story is true to previous events. Other than that, not only does it not stay remotely true to the story line, it is part of my ongoing 'Corrections' series; meant to remedy Joss's mistakes! Starts around the time of The Yoko Factor on Buffy, and Sanctuary on Angel, just before Buffy gets back from LA.  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. Joss created them. And then he messed with their lives and separated soul-mates and tortured them and hurt them and we hate him for what he's done to our beloved characters… Ok, done ranting. For now.  
  
Dedication: For Stephanie, who will never give up on B/A. And who deserves a great correction fic to clear up a mistake even I, non-Riley-hater that I am, thought was way out of character. Buffy Soooo would not have chosen Riley over Angel. Even if she was mad at him. And thus this fic was born.  
  
*******************************************************************  
  
Angel sat keeping vigil over his beloved, alone with his thoughts. She slept peacefully, no longer quite as pale as she had been when she first collapsed. One hand held hers as the other gently stroked her hair. How could he have ever left her? He couldn't help blaming himself for whatever had happened to her. He knew in his head that his presence probably wouldn't have made any difference, but his heart wasn't buying it. Worry and guilt kept him company throughout the long night and into the morning. By the time the sky began to lighten, Angel had made a decision. Whatever had hurt her would not have a chance to do it again. He would be there, watching over her, guarding her, and nothing would touch her if he had anything to say about it. Watching her sleeping, vulnerable, he was overwhelmed with love, and a calm certainty that he would die protecting her with no regrets. He had already given up so much for her, and yet he would do it again in a heartbeat. Tears welled up as he remembered the one perfect day they'd had together, the day she didn't remember. The day that never officially happened. Touching her, breathing in her familiar, beloved scent, Angel was transported back into memory.  
  
'The sun was warm on my skin. I'd forgotten what that felt like. She felt me approach, the way we always seem to feel it when we're close to each other. She turned and her eyes went wide when she saw me standing in the sunlight. The very first time she saw me in the sun. I kissed her, and that was all the explanation she needed.'  
  
Buffy stirred in her sleep, bringing Angel instantly alert. It was the first time she'd moved since lapsing into unconciousness. He watched her closely, silently begging her to open her eyes, but she didn't move again, and after a while, his mind drifted once more to that bittersweet day.  
  
'We decided it would be a bad idea to rush into things. We should just take it slow, stay away from each other for a while until things got sorted out. It was all resolved, and she was leaving. Then her hand touched mine. The next thing I knew she was in my arms. God, kissing her felt so good, so *right*! And all our resolve, all our planning was instantly swept away by love and passion. There was no curse to separate us. We just couldn't stay apart based on willpower alone. And we broke the kitchen table.'  
  
Angel smiled through his tears, leaning down to kiss her lightly on the lips. She didn't even stir, but he thought he felt her kiss him back, oh so softly. He wished he could bask in sweet memories of that one perfect day with her forever, but unbidden came other memories.  
  
'I was powerless against that demon. I nearly got her killed. And I couldn't live like that. I couldn't accept having her then if it meant not being able to save her later. I knew what I had to do. I went back to the Oracles and asked them to change me back. I knew it would kill her if she knew. It nearly killed me. But I had to save her. After all we'd been through, all we'd given up for each other, we still couldn't be together. And she swore she'd never forget. But now I'm the only one who remembers. Those last few moments together, when we tried to say goodbye…'  
  
Angel's throat closed on his memories, as he wept silently, brokenly for what he had lost. She had heard his heart beating. She had seen him in the sun. They had made love, fed each other ice cream, stood side by side, reflected in the mirror together…He heard the voice of the Oracles echo through his head. "You alone will carry the memory of this day. Can you carry that burden?"  
  
'No! I can't carry that burden! Now that the demon is dead, why must I remember?' But he knew that, painful as they were, he treasured his memories of that day. As he stroked her hair, spread like liquid gold across her pillow, he silently thanked the Powers That Be for those 24 hours. And he remembered another man, talking about another golden haired woman…in a romance movie Cordy had made him watch. She'd been amused by the irony of the title; City of Angels. "I would rather have had one breath of her hair, one kiss of her mouth, one touch of her hand, than an eternity without it." Not for the first time, Angel reflected on how relevant the world of movies could be to everyday life. People always said Hollywood wasn't real. But they were looking at the wrong side of the coin. An angel becoming human so he could be with the woman he'd fallen in love with? No, that wasn't real. But a man mourning the loss of the woman he loved, and in spite of his pain, knowing that he would have suffered all he did to get to her even if he knew she'd die the next day…that was real. Angel knew just how real it was. He had been that man.  
  
  
  
Riley actually whistled as he walked, heading for Buffy's dorm. He had never felt so good in all his life. He'd felt so much better after a little more time spent resting in his room; he'd ventured to the Bronze to see if he could find Buffy. Ok, maybe that wasn't the best idea, since he was a fugitive, and most likely came under the shoot-on-sight heading for most of his former colleagues, but he was in such a good mood he couldn't believe anything bad might happen to him. And he wanted to see her, to welcome her back properly, and maybe they could go back to his room together, as they hadn't had a chance to do for a good while… But she hadn't been at the Bronze. Lots of other people had, though. And a good half of them had been involved in a brawl that splintered furniture, spilled drinks, and bloodied more than a few noses before the police finally managed to get it all sorted out. Riley had been in the thick of it, taking out his frustration on anyone who got in his way. Each punch he threw was the easing of a grievance Riley had been harboring, and the more bruises he inflicted, the better he felt. He worked out all his frustrations, all his fear, and when the violence was over, he felt sated. No, more than sated. He had never felt so euphoric, so energized, so *alive*! It was wonderful. The way he felt now, he could probably whip that demon's ass that had so taken it out of him the night before. He could whip anything's ass. Nothing could stop him now. Nothing.  
  
  
  
Angel glanced at the clock. Buffy had been lying motionless for nearly ten hours, and he was starting to get desperate. Her hand in his was cool, and although her pulse was strong, it seemed a bit too slow…He looked down at her, torn between going for help, and the need to stay by her side. But in the end, there was no choice, really. He couldn't leave her. So he sat holding her hand and watched her sleep. She looked so beautiful, so fragile. Unconciousness erased all the worry and preternatural maturity from her face, and she looked like the girl she was. She was so tiny, so delicate, he marveled once again at the strength he knew was contained in that graceful, girlish frame. Not just physical strength, but strength of spirit. And that strength of spirit was the only thread of hope he had to cling to. He willed her silently to wake up. He knew she'd wake up soon, just because the world needed her. She *would* wake up. He wished there was more he could do. It seemed that she had to fight too many battles alone. But all he could do was guard her. So that's what he would do. He wouldn't let anything touch her. Nothing would harm her while he lived. Almost without thinking, he reached out to touch her face. Her skin was smooth and soft against his palm. Not fevered, at least. His fingers traced her jaw, her lips. Never had he been able to touch her like this while she slept. He wondered at her perfection. His fingers explored her features as if he had never seen them before, caught up in his love and amazement…Angel's keen hearing jerked him out of his thoughts. He looked up, snarling, hand still possessively cupping her face, instantly ready to protect his love.  
  
  
  
Willow unlocked the door as quietly as possible, in case Buffy was there and asleep. She wasn't in the dorm often, but then neither was Willow. Last night's routine was becoming more and more the usual for her. She had gone to the Bronze with Tara after taking Riley his food, and then back to Tara's room to do spells. And other things. Thoughts of her girlfriend made her smile, as they always did, as Willow opened the door and froze at the sight of Buffy on the bed, pale, with a vampire standing over her. Almost before she could register the fact of his presence, he was across the room. She fumbled in her pocket and her hand closed around the stake she carried there just as the vampire pinned her to the wall, strong hand closing around her throat. She tore her coat getting the stake out and prepared to thrust it into the monster's chest, but it dropped from nerveless fingers when the demonic visage shifted to one she knew very well.  
  
"Willow." He relaxed suddenly and let her go, returning to Buffy's side to check her pulse again and take her hand. He looked at her wordlessly, his face a mask of worry and frustration. Willow stood, still in shock, absently rubbing her recently constricted throat. What in the name of all that was holy was *Angel* doing there? And why would he attack her? Willow suddenly remembered Buffy's preoccupation that morning, as an even more disturbing line of questioning occurred to her. She'd been in LA. With Angel. What if… Oh, holy Goddess. Was this Angel? Or Angelus? Thoughts of Angelus filled her with panic, and she quickly reached down to reclaim the stake she had dropped. She stood, indecisive, stake at the ready. She couldn't stake him if he was Angel, of course, but what would make Angel attack her? And what if she guessed wrong and he hurt Buffy? She had to find out for sure, but she had no idea… Yes, she did! Of course, it was so simple! She smiled to herself, in spite of her misgivings, and picked up the phone.  
  
  
  
Tara's automatic joy at hearing Willow's voice was replaced instantly by concern. She'd just left. She wouldn't be calling unless something was wrong. "Wil, what is it? A-are you ok?"  
  
"Yeah, Tara, I'm fine, but Buffy's not… Could you just come over here? It's sort of hard to explain, but I need you to check someone's aura. To see if he has a soul."  
  
Tara's concern deepened to something akin to blind panic. A person without a soul… But no, if Willow had encountered the Soulless Ones, she wouldn't be calling Tara. She would be quite dead, or at the very least running for her life. Tara forced herself to calm down, at least until she knew what was going on. It couldn't be the Soulless. Willow had said she was fine. Breathe, Tara. Willow was fine. So, what could she possibly want to know?  
  
  
  
Willow watched Angel (Angelus?) warily while she waited, stake in hand. He didn't seem inclined to attack her again, but who knew what was going on in his mind. He hadn't taken his eyes from Buffy since going back to her; Willow thought he might almost have forgotten she was there. So, she watched, and waited, and breathed a deep sigh of relief when she at last heard a knock on the door. She went to open it, even more glad to see her lover than usual, if such a thing were possible. She opened her mouth to try to explain the situation to Tara, but stopped as her lover stared past her in shock in the direction of Buffy's bed. Her lips moved ineffectually, and she finally managed, "What did that?" sounding more horrified (and terrified) than Willow had ever heard anyone sound.  
  
  
  
An unfamiliar female voice again startled Angel momentarily out of his brooding worry, and he looked up long enough to growl absently at the newcomer. But he knew Willow was there, so he didn't bother to attack. If trouble came to Buffy, it would find him guarding her. If trouble was content to stand across the room, that was fine with him. Just as long as he didn't have to let go of her hand.  
  
  
  
Tara gasped again, and shrank back against Willow, confused anew. "A vampire? But he has a soul…" Her voice was perplexed as she searched her lover's face for answers, and she only grew more perplexed when Willow relaxed visibly and smiled.  
  
"Oh, good. I was so worried he'd changed again…" Willow trailed off as she realized the source of Tara's confusion. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot you didn't know. Ok, I don't really have time to give you the whole story, but, well, there is one vampire who has a soul. Angel. He was Buffy's boyfriend in high school, and he's a really good and caring person. He helps people, to try to make up for what he did before he got his soul back. Anyway, he lost it again for a while, and…it wasn't pretty."  
  
Willow's face grew momentarily sad, remembering what, and *who* they had all lost. Giles had never really recovered from that. If anything like that ever happened to Tara…she didn't even want to think about it. "After he left, Buffy didn't like to talk about him much, so we all just sort of added him to the not-a-good-topic-for-conversation-with-Buffy list, along with drowning, her dad, the Watcher's council… She'd gone to LA to see him, and help out with Faith, and she just got back yesterday. Then he showed up, and she was like that… I just wanted to make sure I could trust him." Willow studied Tara's face. She looked marginally less confused, but no less thoughtful and worried.  
  
"He has a soul," she affirmed absently before disengaging herself from Willow and going to stand beside Buffy. Angel didn't even look up again as she approached, but Willow knew he was aware of her presence. Tara must have known too, since she stopped before she got close enough to intrude on his area of protection, and studied the unconscious Slayer, a look of intense concentration on her face.  
  
  
  
Buffy's aura was weak, as if she were losing the will to live, but Tara was sure that wasn't the reason. Whatever was causing her condition, it came from outside herself. She started as she realized the implications of that thought, and the color drained from her face. "No, it's not possible…" She sank slowly to the floor, numb in body and mind. There had to be some other explanation…but only one thing could explain what she Saw. She almost wished Buffy really *was* losing her will to live… At least that could be dealt with. But as Tara watched, the Slayer's aura *flickered*- brightened momentarily, then dimmed again. She'd watched it flicker three times before she could force herself to be sure she was seeing it. Before she could accept that it was really happening. This was the stuff of the darkest fairy tales, the stuff of nightmare. No one's aura flickered naturally. Aura's just didn't *do* that! She felt Willow's arms encircle her, as she began to shake with reaction, and she leaned back into her, grateful for the support. She looked up and captured her lover's worried eyes with her own, equally troubled. "Willow, she's…I-I think…I think s-s-something d- drained her life-force." 


	5. In which steps are taken, and Riley is s...

Author's Note: I wrote this, including the disclaimer rant, more than a year ago, and never posted it, for a very good reason which I of course now forget. I would like to mention that I don't really believe all men are bastards, but I'm leaving the rant intact, because that was how I was feeling at the time. I apologize for the length of time this story is taking to reach its conclusion- hopefully there are still people out there who still care, at this late date, what that conclusion will be. At least I'm back in story mode again, so provided life leaves me the hell alone for a little while, more should follow.  
  
Title: Lost and Found  
  
Author: Kat  
  
Distribution: Well, obviously, no one likes it enough to review, except my few faithful friends, so I seriously doubt anyone would want it anyway. But, in case you do...you can't have it. Ha! See how you like that, oh non- reviewing people! (And I'm not at all bitter.)  
  
Feedback: Ok, you know what? Fine. Don't review. I don't care anymore. I've begged, I've pleaded, I honestly don't think there's anything else I can do to convince you, so...whatever. Your call.  
  
Summary: Much research is done, and Riley is an evil fiend, but we all already knew that.  
  
FYI: This story is true to previous events. Other than that, not only does it not stay remotely true to the story line, it is part of my ongoing 'Corrections' series; meant to remedy Joss's mistakes! Starts around the time of The Yoko Factor on Buffy, and Sanctuary on Angel, just before Buffy gets back from LA.  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. Joss created them. And then he messed with their lives and separated soul-mates and tortured them and hurt them and we hate him for what he's done to our beloved characters... And this is where I usually say I'm done ranting for now, but guess what, I'm not this time. I'm not done ranting. Because not only has Joss separated soul-mates, he has done so on two occasions by killing one of them. Which two occasions? My ships. The only two ships which have been ended by death, and they are my two. Screw you, Joss, you evil maniacal sonofabitch! Screw you for not firing the EBMOD (Season 6's big bad, Marti, who truly is an evil bitch- monster of death). "Life sucks and then you die" is a really crappy message for a television show, people! And finally, to the audience, a little advice- All men are bastards, especially Joss, and this is why you should date girls. But not Marti, cause she's not really a girl, she's an EBMOD. So there! ::folds arms emphatically and puts on resolve-face::  
  
Dedication: For Stephanie, who will never give up on B/A. And who deserves a great correction fic to clear up a mistake even I, non-Riley-hater that I am, thought was way out of character. Buffy Soooo would not have chosen Riley over Angel. Even if she was mad at him. And thus this fic was born.  
  
*******************************************************************  
  
Angel's head snapped up. "Something WHAT?!?!?!"  
  
Tara cringed away from the scowling vampire, into her beloved's protective embrace. "I-I-I t-think so. There r-really isn't a-a-any other e- explanation. Her aura's f-flickering, and I've never e-e-even h-heard of that happening e-except in a f-fairy t-t-tale. I-it's not supposed to be p- p-possible." Oh, that confounded stutter! Every time she was upset or afraid, she seemed to lose her ability to form a coherent sentence, making her sound like a complete idiot. And the last thing she wanted to sound like was an idiot with a vampire glaring down at her. Even if Willow did think he was safe. She was glad of Willow's support as the redhead squeezed her shoulder sympathetically.  
Willow was again at a loss for what to do. She kept getting distracted by an overwhelming urge to glare back at Angel for daring to glare at her Tara. And the fact that her best friend was lying comatose on her bed didn't help matters. Finally, after maybe the longest 30 seconds of her life, Angel went back to worrying over Buffy, Tara's rigid form relaxed a bit in her arms, and Willow's poor overloaded mind was able to grasp a thought. "Giles!"  
Both other conscious occupants of the room looked at her quizzically. Clarification was in order. "We need to call Giles. Do research. Because, when we don't know what to do, research is what must be done." She nodded to emphasize her statement, proud of herself for finding a solution. Whenever something happened that they couldn't handle, calling Giles was always a good first step. Angel grunted assent and Tara got up to get the phone, handing it to Willow as she got to her feet as well. Willow hit the 'Emergency 2' button and waited impatiently for Giles to answer.  
  
Giles wondered sleepily why a phone was ringing in the middle of his tour. He always made sure to tell all visitors to the British Museum of Occult Artifacts to turn off all cell phones and beepers before he started his tours. It was really most distracting. He had only just begun to explain the roll of Martin the Conqueror in the quelling of the Esoch rebellion in the fifth century. The Esoch were a particularly canny breed of demon, and without Martin's brilliant strategies, the rebellion would have been a success. As it was, use of the Esoch as mercenary warriors had to be discontinued. "Oh, why doesn't someone answer the bloody phone?!" *BEEP*  
"Giles? It's Willow. Are you awake? I know it's early, but as soon as you get this, call me back, ok? Something's wrong with Buffy." Giles jolted completely out of his dream with a start and reached for his glasses, fumbling for a pair of pants with the other hand.  
  
Once more Angel growled at the door. But this time it wasn't a key in the lock. This time it was a frantic pounding. "Willow? Buffy? It's Giles. Willow?" Angel sighed, reluctantly letting go of Buffy's hand and going to open the door. An extremely harried looking Watcher stood on the other side. He had obviously dressed in a great hurry; his shirt was unevenly buttoned and his socks didn't match. Which, for Giles, was very disheveled indeed. He wasn't even wearing a tie. He blinked in surprise at the identity of the doorkeeper. "Angel? What are you doing here?" Angel opened his mouth to answer, but another voice called his name.  
"Angel?" Buffy's voice was hoarse. Angel was instantly back by her side. Her hand groped for his and he grasped it gently, lifting it to his lips to kiss it. "I'm here, Buffy." Her eyes blinked once, twice, focused on him. And her lips curved into a weak smile. "You're really here. I thought I was delirious. But you're really here."  
  
Willow brewed her lover a stimulant tea, lost in less than pleasant thoughts. Her Tara was usually so brave and strong; anything that terrified her so much was not something Willow really wanted to know more about. On the other hand, something horrible had obviously happened to Buffy. And whatever, or whomever, was responsible for it would pay. Unless Angel beat her to it, Willow herself would make sure of that. She returned with mug in hand to Tara's bed, where her beloved sat huddled in blankets, obviously lost in less than pleasant thoughts of her own.  
"Wanna tell me what's happening up there?" she asked, mustering a smile and tapping Tara's temple. The blonde shook her head. "Not really. Bad memories. Nothing that has to do with Buffy. N-not that I'm not worrying about Buffy too..." Willow hastened to reassure her, kissing her lightly to stop her fretting. "Shh, love, I know you're trying to figure out a way to help Buffy. You're allowed to be distracted by other things. I know sometimes we run into Scooby-related stuff that gives me a wiggins too. If something triggered bad memories, that's not your fault. It's not like anyone expects you to come up with a solution all on your own. We're just lucky to have someone as talented as you who can tell us what's wrong in the first place." Tara ducked her head, hiding in her hair. "I'm not. Talented, I mean. All I did was..." "Something none of the rest of can do," Willow finished for her. "Sure sounds like a talent to me. Not to mention, I happen to know of some other hidden talents of yours that I don't think the others necessarily have to know about. But I find them very beneficial." This coaxed a smile from her girlfriend. Willow grinned back; no disease was more contagious than Tara's sweet smile, she thought, and no picture more beautiful.  
  
Giles crossed the room quickly to take the side of the bed unoccupied by Angel, fretting quietly over his slayer's weakness and pallor. His worry deepened as Angel explained quickly what had happened since he arrived. Buffy frowned at Tara's diagnosis. "Are you sure? I mean, I did have a wicked fight with a demon last night, but are you sure I'm not just tired or something? Ok, so I don't generally pass out when I'm tired, but I feel fine now, really..." She attempted to demonstrate this by getting up, and fell abruptly back into Angel's arms. Giles and Angel exchanged deeply troubled glances over the limp girl who was the center of both their lives. Angel could see Giles' inner struggle written plainly on his face- stay and watch over the young woman he loved more than a daughter, as his heart dictated, or dive headfirst into a healthy pile of books, which his intellect and sensibility both insisted he must do if he wanted to help her. Angel made the decision for him. "Go. I'll call you if anything changes." Angel glanced at the window, through which light now shone brightly. "It's not like I'm going anywhere anytime soon. If I can't go out and find what did this to her, at least I can make sure nothing hurts her again." Giles recognized the fury and determination on the vampire's face. They had never been close, and relations between them had been rather strained since Angel's return from Hell, but they were united in their concern for Buffy, and Giles knew there was no better guardian for his Slayer. He nodded mutely and headed out the door. 


End file.
